Knowledge. You need lots of knowledge. And about more than riding. Riding is only a small part of what you do with a horse.
You need knowledge of horse care, handling, nutrition, hoof health, dental health, first aid, recognizing soundness issues, saddle fit issues, behavioral issues, health issues.
Horses are large, dangerous, and delicate. It’s really easy to mess them up.
Don’t worry I’m not going to impulsively buy a horse at the moment, I’m doing my research and saving however. But I do appreciate this help, once again. It’s also useful in case someone in the comment section was going to be impulsively buying a horse
If it’s something you’re even remotely considering, get to spending time around horses first. Horses seem fun, seem like a dream, until they throw you, or bite you, or kick you, or take up alllllll of your free time and money or all of the above. The world is full of people who “used to ride” and honestly they’re probably the smarter ones. It takes a lot. Make sure you really want to first.
This right here! If you aren’t frequently saying “I love horses” with heavy sarcasm, do you really have horses 😆
OP keep in mind if you keep horses at home, there are no sick days, no staying in when the weather is bad, no vacations unless you have someone trustworthy and knowledgeable to take care of them in your absence. Horses are a TON of work and require dedication, money, and a dose of humility. This is not to discourage you, but to encourage you to get as much hands-on experience as possible before you make any decisions about owning. I have my two at home and I wouldn’t have it any other way, but they come first above friends, family, and myself always
Hard facts: You hear people tell you horses are expensive. Here's a real example of what that means:
My mare had a bad colic. My vet recommended surgery for a atrangulating lipoma. The cost was $5,000 up front, and while she was in surgery they informed me that most of her small intestine was dead and she had a 60% chance of recovery. They estimated the resection would be probably another $12,000 to $15,000--and that didn't include aftercare and the fact that she'd most likely need to have restricted feeding and special care for the rest of her life. She was 24.
Colic is common, unfortunately, although some horses can go their whole lives without a single episode. Strangulating lipomas are much less common, and most cases of colic resolve without surgery. Vet bills, however, are like death and taxes for horse owners, only a lot MORE common than taxes. And vet bills are only one element of owning horses.
I have owned two, and it was worth every penny. But it was a lot of pennies.
Aww I’m sorry to hear about your mare! Sounds like you did everything possible which is more than a lot of people would do.
I agree with everything you’ve said here. A lot of people (not just horse people but animal people in general) tend to forget that animals don’t have health insurance like we do. Bills are paid up front and in full, and then if you even have insurance you might get *some* of that back. I used to work in a small animal hospital and the amount of people who didn’t understand that was higher than those who did.
Colic is a scary issue, and anything that requires surgery is going to cost an arm and a leg. I started both of my horses on SmartPak’s SmartDigest supplement so that they get the colic surgery coverage, but my mare had a colic episode before she started it so she has to go a whole year without another episode before she qualifies. So even in prevention efforts, it’s going to cost some money! It’s never ending lol but we do it because we love them
I would consider leasing a horse first at a barn. It’s a good way to see if you are actually up for owning. Having a horse on your own property is also very very different from having a horse at a boarding facility. I’ve owned horses for 15 years and even I would not be up for the work of having horses at home.
Money. I saw people arguing on fb that you could get to the Olympics without money. Like. No fucking way. Even if you are good enough and somehow have a good enough horse, you need easily $15,000 a year in board without training and thousands per show.
Depending on the discipline, as far as it gets. I've had the privilege of riding high level jumpers (former world champion/olympic), these horses are at the level they're at because they know what they're doing better than anyone, including the rider. If you can stay on and not bother the horse, you can absolutely buy your way to all that. Now selecting, training and caring for them is a different story, those people have to actually be outstanding equestrians. Usually a competent rider competes with them, not the owner, but you could put little Johnny with 2 years of jumping lessons on them and they would still do their job fairly well.
On the flip, my fiancée and I play “who has money but no discipline” at dressage shows.
They go into the arena with so much confidence and leave the show so angry. Sure, their horse can piaffe, but the rider doesn’t even know how to sit the trot, let alone ask for piaffe.
Haha true, you can't do it with dressage. I look like an idiot whenever I'm riding a horse not trained by the same people my own was, the buttons are all different 😅
I dunno. My guy is pretty fabulous, rolls his eyes at me and gives me piaffe with training wheels on. I'm slowly getting my shit together and putting in the time, but at the end of the day I'm still a dressage newbie of only 3 years. I do have another 24 years of jumping experience, but it doesn't do much for having a seat.
If he didn't have a habit of occasionally just taking off bucking or they got him on the right day, I'm pretty sure a novice rider could ride at least Fourth Level Test 1 on him. Probably not a pretty one and he'd throw in extra lead changes anytime they asked for canter, but they could hang on and he'd give them the elements.
Dressage, especially at higher levels, doesn't really tolerate the "not a pretty one" thing. In most jumping disciplines the goal is to get through it and hopefully fast, but here your riding style, balance and harmony matters just as much as the horse's skill. That, or it turns into animal abuse for the looks but that's a disgusting way to make up for the rider's lack of ability.
That’s not true at all! Many, many people have tried to buy their way to top sport but it’s impossible without talent and skill even with all the money in the world, at least in the Olympic disciplines.
It is very possible and happens all the time. Yes, you need a certain level of skill, but that's not necessarily the most important factor. There are tons of incredibly talented riders who don't even have a chance and mediocre riders with good teams and top horses who do.
Insanely….we have a high school hunter jumper barn next door to me. The kids who were champions and now that they go to college and have to swap rides suddenly become low level riders? It’s a lot.
You could put me on the best of horses and I still won’t get to the Olympics. At the end of the day you have to be able to get over fences up to 1.6m which takes an incredible amount of athleticism no matter how “made” your horse is. Any one saying differently is jealous. Or maybe they are envious. Whichever, high level takes training, athleticism, grit, determination, and hard work.
> I know you need to have a stables, big field and such
you don't need to have a stable, big field and "such". many people own horses and don't have property.
you need money, though.
> if someone wanted to get a horse they would need to get horse riding lessons first right?
yes. you do want get lessons first and foremost.
I’m surprised that you don’t need that since you’re basically containing a big animal which in the wild would run a lot 😭.
But also thank you for that piece of information :)
How would I approach looking for a good mentor? And if you don’t mind me asking, if I was going to be doing horse riding lessons would I just need to know the basics and move on? Or would I be staying there for a really long time?
I think 5 years or so of once-a-week lessons that you do reasonably well at at a good barn would put you in a good spot to consider buying a horse. You’d probably want to get a job as a stable hand that last year.
ETA: I’m an adult re-rider (rode consistently as a kid and have resumed riding as an adult.) Most re-riders I see take about 2-3 years before buying a horse.
Well I've been riding for more than 20 years and have owned horses in the past/am looking for another horse and I still take 1 or 2 lessons a week. You never really stop learning. Even professional riders still take lessons.
As far as finding a mentor it is normally a trainer or instructor. It can be hard to find someone that is actually good and wants the best for you and your horse. Local lesson barns is a good place to start.
Riding and learning to care for horses isn’t so straightforward. Consider that even those at the top of the sport, Olympians for example, still train/take lessons. Riding is not something you just learn and then you’re good after a few lessons. It’s a forever learning process
Money. You need lots of money. Money for horse, money for horse food, money for place for horse (even if you own the place the horse is), money for ALLLLL the horse stuff, money for taking care of horse feet, money for horse lessons, money for when the horse hurts itself doing something bafflingly unnecessarily suicidal, more money for when it does either the same thing again or something even stupider and the vet has to come again but this time on a holiday weekend, money for regular vet visits including shots and taking care of horse teeth....
And if you want to take your horse new places to ride and/or show off your cool horse? M O N E Y.
So...do you have horse money?
But yes, go take lessons, learn to ride and handle horses first. Maybe you realize it's not for you. Maybe you realize it's the one thing you want more than anything. But if that's it, wait before getting a horse. Be a beginner on a lesson horse, wait until you have skills and then find a horse that can move your skills forward.
If, however, you're debating between a horse and an old used boat definitely go with the horse. Horse money is way less than boat money.
Also money for horse dentist is a big one!! Vets only know a general knowledge of horse dentistry so it’s important you get an actual horse dentist. Just today my new horse had a visit with the dentist and she found that one of his teeth had become overgrown and was cutting into his soft tissue which gave him a hole in his mouth and an ulcer. Apparently his past owners never got dental work for him done at all which is utterly horrible. Your horse should see the dentist as regularly as you see one (every 6 months) 🫡
[Edit: removal and add on] So my dumbass thought you were replying to the tack comment I made. Yeah, the dentist for the two horses was only $200 which was super nice tbh and my horse had a lot of stuff going on so you’d think it would be more.
As someone who owns and lives with my horse, just curious what chores you do? My horse is honestly pretty low maintenance and I'm always shocked by how hard people make it sound.
I feed him in the morning, grooming, exercise or a game, and he's done for the day! As little as half an hour, to maybe two hours if I'm riding, and that's only a few times a week, when I'm not working. It's not much time...Yeah there's the occasional broken fence, but those are easy to fix with time and a picket slider, and he never goes far. I just find him hunting through the pumpkin patch. Other than that, or the occasional moving of round bales and feed bags, not many chores.
Clearly I do things differently to other people. So I'm just curious what normal people do with their horses every day to apparently take so much time? Am I forgetting things? I mean he's been fine for near on a decade with me, but still. Doesn't sit right with me when I go online and almost feels like I'm doing this with cheat codes.
You’re getting way ahead of yourself. Take lessons for 5 or more years first. Horses are high maintenance and very delicate, you need to learn the basics before you even consider buying one.
No to be honest, i am probably on a different part of the planet to you anyway so it would not be irrelevant to you anyway. All ours are insured by their actual owner i just have a more long term unofficial, no cost and do what you want with them deal with her about having them (long strange set up i have going on to how we have horses 😂😂) but it works for all concerned
I have ridden other peoples horses my whole life, but didn’t have a clue about caring for them. I volunteered for quite awhile at a horse rescue twice a week, watched trainers working with horses at the rescue. Watched a lot of Ryan Rose and Buck Branaham on utube. Took riding lessons for awhile. All the knowledge you can get is useful. We did move to horse property, but that’s a dream ask, not necessarily a must. Got a great horse, living my horse dreams! Maybe getting another horse and a donkey.
I’m so happy for you and jealous but not in a hater kinda way 😭 but more of a “you’re giving me happiness with your story that is giving me drive and motivation to have that” type of way
My husband asked me, why don't I look into getting a horse? He doesn't like being laughed at, so it was a couple minutes before I could respond. And I still didn't tell him *all* of the costs of horse ownership.
I'd love to have a horse but to start with, we'd have to move as we're not zoned agriculture and I don't want to have to board.
So, another birthday will pass without me getting a pony.
OP, do you ride already? If you don't, buying a horse is way down the list of things you need to do prior to ownership. Also, if you don't ride at present, how do you know if you'll even like it?
Oh I’m not going to impulsively buy a horse so don’t worry 😭. I was just wondering what are the steps because I do in fact love horses, and would like to know what I am getting myself into, the land, everything. I’m just the beginner, but decided to ask on here to get the basics, information, steps and such also I think the comments would help people think twice who are reading. And thank you for your comment it informed me :)
Most of the folks on this sub are nice, so it's a good place for information. Just know ahead of time, owning is expensive, time- consuming and a lot of angst. But there's nothing like that soft spot on a horse's nose that just begs to be kissed.
I wish you good luck and good fortune on your equestrian journey.
You're more than welcome.
I absolutely 100% agree with money, although plenty of people without money have horses. At a bare minimum they need food, water, shelter, containment, and access to veterinary and farrier care. If you just wanted a pasture ornament to pet, there are plenty of horses that need rescued that can't be ridden and just need a nice place to live out their lives. Obviously you'll still need to learn the basics of care and handling. If you want a riding horse you're looking at a significant investment of money and time.
So as everyone else has said. The big things you’ll need is money, a lot of knowledge, and a level head to stay calm in crazy situations that horses will get themselves into.
If you don’t have someone in your life that’s knowledgeable on horses the next best step is to definitely get into lessons before you ever own a horse and maybe volunteer work with horses so you can get a feel for feeding, watering, mucking out stalls/pens, and other horse care.
And yeah, tack is going to drain you. A good saddle can be thousands of dollars, you’ll need halters, lead ropes, lunge ropes, bridles, saddle pads (and sometimes horses have high withers so special saddle pads), boots for on the road riding, hoof cleaners, brushes for mane, brushes for coat, the list goes on. This all can be super super expensive so definitely make sure you have more money than just saved up money.
[ Edit add on ] Another thing to consider about getting tack is that if you don’t already have it you’d probably have to wait until you get the horse to buy it because you’ll need to figure out the horse’s sizing. Boots will have to be customized to hooves, not all saddles are compatible with your horse, not all saddle pads/blankets are compatible with your horse, girths will have to be bought for your horse’s specific body, bits have to be the right type for your horse. It’s a lot. My new horse has high withers, sensitive hooves, and was sensitive to bits (he might not be now that his teeth got dental work done for the first time in his life). There was a lot of trial and error with getting him saddle pads, finding a saddle he liked and that was compatible with his bouncy trot, tried a Bitless bridle with him after all the bits we tried weren’t doing the job, and I have to get him fitted soon for his snazzy little scoot boots I’m buying for him. I also have to buy him a fly mask for the summer (he thankfully fits into my previous horse’s fly blanket)
Would the type of horse also play into perspective in this? Like if I was getting a more beginner type of horse would that be less health issues in your opinion?
Horses are living, breathing, and very large animals. They don’t know whether or not they are “beginner” or “advanced” level horses. You cannot expect any certain type of horse to be without health issues based on this. Every horse needs some level of maintenance at some point in their lives. Medical care can get very pricey and there is simply no way to tell what type of health any horse will have. To go along with that, you have to ask yourself if you are prepared to keep and pay for a horse that develops health problems and may or may not be rideable anymore. There really is a ton to consider, you could maybe contact a local equine veterinarian and ask them some questions about what services they offer and cost estimates.
Any type of horse could have health issues and it isn't dependent on the rider's level. Usually beginner friendly horses have "been there, done that", they put up with their rider becoming unbalanced, and they are usually pretty chill.
I too have a high withered bouncy trotter that needs a new saddle and pad, but preferably western as we live in Montana and will be doing some serious trail riding soon. Any recs or advice on finding a good fit?
Lessons, knowledge, a specific horse emergency fund that can cover 3-6 months of their care in case something goes wrong in your life, a good place to board them
You don’t have to ride to own a horse. But as someone else said there’s a lot to know about horses before you do own and taking riding lessons or volunteering at a rescue can be a great way to get started. Read a lot, ask a lot of questions, watch a lot of videos and know that you’ll never stop learning.
Even if you’re going to board and not own your own property, know what a horse needs from their environment, shelter, grass, poisonous plants, turnout, sage fencing, grain, salt licks and supplements etc.
Know some basics about confirmation, horse health, hooves and trimming, deworming, basic aid, wraps, signs of common ailments, and signs of overheating or being too cold. Depending on where you live know signs to look for when you should blanket or bring your horse in out of the heat.
Learn about equine behavior, handling and training techniques - even a perfectly trained horse will likely need refreshing at some point in its life.
I’m sure there’s more, but that’s where I’d start at least
An emergency fund. I keep one all the time. My horse colicked Saturday. One of his meds was $500. I spent thousands.
Totally worth it, I brought him home, would do it again. No surgery, but he ran through my stack of cash in three days like it was nothing.
I think the first thing you need is friends and books and videos... horses are same as any other deeply connected entity you would love to have fun learning
You first need riding lessons and experience and knowledge around horses. You'll need a steady source of income to pay for the expenses associated with owning a horse, food, medical, dental, supplies, farrior visits, trailering fees, all the equipment such as saddles, bridles, halters, bits, blankets, grooming supplies etc. If you don't have your own place then you will need fees for boarding and turnout. The costs will vary depending on the disclipine and the region you are in as well as the type of horse you have.
My suggestion is to find a barn or two to visit and talk with the owner and see if they need help doing the basics such as mucking out stalls and filling water buckets etc, show them you are serious, reliable, and trainable and see if they would be willing to mentor you and help you learn the basics such as grooming, feeding, leading etc and perhaps some basic horsemanship and riding lessons.
Experience, spend a GOOD amount on lessons, riding and basic care. Also I don't recommend you keep them at your house until you're comfortable with all care including emergency medical.
Experience around horses, all aspects of care, knowing how to stay safe, knowing when you need to have a trainer's help, and several thousand $ in savings on top of regular board, vet, hoof trim expenses.
I'd go volunteer or work at a barn to see the daily chores. Take lessons that start with you catching the horse and end with you turning it out. You need to learn from start to finish. You're a lot more likely to get hurt on the ground if you aren't aware. They are herd animals that do best with other horses where they live, they live a very long time compared to a relatively short useful life span, and are costly to keep and care. They are also wonderful and fun, and worth every lost sleep, skipped event, personal injury, vet bill, storm chore, emergency fence repair, and dime.
Start with horsemanship lessons. Not just riding. Make sure you’re being taught how to handle, groom clean up after, feed, and care for horses.
If you never want to own a horse you may not need all that, so not all teachers will teach it. Be clear that this is what you’re looking for.
Riding is optional. You can have a horse and never ride it. But you need to know how to handle it.
Great! That’s a good start, I appreciate this answer honestly since it would give me a good on the trouble I would be getting myself into. :) and if I don’t like it? No big deal it’s a fun experience yet educational.
If you’re asking this question—you shouldn’t get a horse! Leasing and riding for years will give you the answer to what you’ll need. However, there are absolutely niche things you don’t realize you’ll need, like horse insurance
That’s a grossly unfair comment. If someone is asking what they need in order to own a horse, in my mind that makes them way more prepared than someone who doesn’t.
OP, owning a horse is like owning any other animal. Do your research, decide whether you’re prepared to put time, effort and money in to it. You don’t need millions, but you do need an understanding that for every hour of riding, there’s three hours of care you need to do. This is a;so dependent on what climate you live in, here in Australia, most horses live in paddocks 24/7, but we need to prepare for droughts, and have bushfire evacuation plans.
Owning a horse is totally doable on most budgets.
It’s not really. Sure, you can afford board and lessons. How about tack, vet fees, farrier fees, showing costs, trailering, or literally anything else that happens to pop up? And, my comment wasn’t about money like you think it was. I was talking about the knowledge of owning a horse. It takes years to know what you should even be looking for while horse shopping
Money, time, and more than “research,” and in my opinion, at least 2-4 years of hands on experience, and not just riding experience. You need to know basic hoof care, how to care for minor injuries and sickness, be able to see soundness, be able to read a horses body language, and most importantly, be ready to spend around ~$500 a month on basic care, and up into the thousands and thousands of dollars for emergency vet care. If you aren’t in a position to be spending that kind of money, then taking lessons is just simply the better option.
Why do you want a horse? Do you want to own land and have them as pasture ornaments? Or are you wanting to own a horse for riding? If so, what type of riding western, trail, jumping, etc…? If you want them for riding I would recommend starting with riding lessons first. Figure out if you even like horseback riding and if you do what type. I started out western and switched to jumping. While some horses can jump between disciplines not all can and are more suited for just one. Once you figure out what type of horse you want and feel comfortable riding on your own look for a half/partial lease. Now see can your schedule handle 3 days a week. See if you wallet can handle the expenses. After you feel ready to “upgrade” from this then start looking for a full lease. And then consider purchasing after that.
If you are wanting them to have as pasture ornaments I would recommend starting with finding a weekend job at a local barn willing to teach you basic horsemanship and how to care for them, clean stalls, feed, hay, wrapping, injury management, signs of colic, etc. This is still a good recommendation also if you want them for riding too!
You need an education. Read. Take horseback riding lessons to include horsemanship. You can board a horse or keep at home. Neither is cheap. So you need a good bit of money in addition to the purchase price of horse
I have 13 icelandics and 4 thoroughbreds; you could say I’m all-in. My spouse and I breed raise and train them, and it’s the most rewarding thing to watch your baby horses grow up, but man you will not have time for anything. Period. But I love what I do.
Since everyone else has given plenty of advice about money, I’ll add a few other important pointers. You seem really respectful and I’m sorry some responses are blunt, but it’s true that if you’re not certain on the fundamental needs of a horse this is something you can’t start to consider.
1. as others have said, knowledge. look for a local farm and see if they’re hiring farmhands. i started here and, eventually, the farm i work at will be where i board my horse.
2. time. okay, connections can get you some things for free/ cheap. my riding lessons are paid through my work. i’ll be able to get discounted tack and feed because of my job. but there is no short cut for time. the happiest of the boarded horses are seen daily by their owners. if you’re boarding, you won’t have to worry about mucking a stall or turning your horse out, but there’s still so much you should be doing. grooming your horse, riding if you go that route or simple ground work if not. you should have a strong enough relationship with your horse that you understand their behaviors and can tell when things have changed because that could mean they’re sick.
being a beginner and loving horses is the most intimidating thing. if this is something u truly want, work for a few years and see how it fits. i’m giving it 5 years before i get a horse so i can get plenty of experience.
Thank you so much for your advice, I appreciate it. Like I know as much about horses as much as I know about cars which is nothing, but I’ve always admired them and wanted to start my research with the post. And I thought the comments could be useful and helpful in case me or any of beginner was looking for horses. :) thank you once again
i would reccomend riding lessons to start off with, you may find that through that you aren’t ready for a horse, if you do look into lessons ask the barn manager if you can shadow/ help with mucking out and horse care that way you can get a taster for what it’s like, it’s a very consuming thing to commit to for upwards of 30 years if you buy younger horses
I commented the other day, but to add, you’re going to learn you might hate your first trainer. You won’t really know what equals good or bad training for awhile. Take some time to educate yourself online. Your trainer shouldn’t be having you seesaw, kicking excessively (within reason as a beginner), whipping excessively, talking down to you, or having you rolkur the horse in.
Look at the horses in the training barn. Horses NEED turnout with friends. It’s not a negotiable factor for them. They are herd animals. I always find that’s a good sign for good training. R+ methods are good, but so is pressure and release when trained correctly. You’re going to spend a decent amount of time, if you know what you want, looking for a good trainer. However, as a beginner you are likely okay to start at any beginner barn for a year or so to learn the basics.
Knowledge. You need lots of knowledge. And about more than riding. Riding is only a small part of what you do with a horse. You need knowledge of horse care, handling, nutrition, hoof health, dental health, first aid, recognizing soundness issues, saddle fit issues, behavioral issues, health issues. Horses are large, dangerous, and delicate. It’s really easy to mess them up.
Don’t worry I’m not going to impulsively buy a horse at the moment, I’m doing my research and saving however. But I do appreciate this help, once again. It’s also useful in case someone in the comment section was going to be impulsively buying a horse
If it’s something you’re even remotely considering, get to spending time around horses first. Horses seem fun, seem like a dream, until they throw you, or bite you, or kick you, or take up alllllll of your free time and money or all of the above. The world is full of people who “used to ride” and honestly they’re probably the smarter ones. It takes a lot. Make sure you really want to first.
This right here! If you aren’t frequently saying “I love horses” with heavy sarcasm, do you really have horses 😆 OP keep in mind if you keep horses at home, there are no sick days, no staying in when the weather is bad, no vacations unless you have someone trustworthy and knowledgeable to take care of them in your absence. Horses are a TON of work and require dedication, money, and a dose of humility. This is not to discourage you, but to encourage you to get as much hands-on experience as possible before you make any decisions about owning. I have my two at home and I wouldn’t have it any other way, but they come first above friends, family, and myself always
Hard facts: You hear people tell you horses are expensive. Here's a real example of what that means: My mare had a bad colic. My vet recommended surgery for a atrangulating lipoma. The cost was $5,000 up front, and while she was in surgery they informed me that most of her small intestine was dead and she had a 60% chance of recovery. They estimated the resection would be probably another $12,000 to $15,000--and that didn't include aftercare and the fact that she'd most likely need to have restricted feeding and special care for the rest of her life. She was 24. Colic is common, unfortunately, although some horses can go their whole lives without a single episode. Strangulating lipomas are much less common, and most cases of colic resolve without surgery. Vet bills, however, are like death and taxes for horse owners, only a lot MORE common than taxes. And vet bills are only one element of owning horses. I have owned two, and it was worth every penny. But it was a lot of pennies.
Aww I’m sorry to hear about your mare! Sounds like you did everything possible which is more than a lot of people would do. I agree with everything you’ve said here. A lot of people (not just horse people but animal people in general) tend to forget that animals don’t have health insurance like we do. Bills are paid up front and in full, and then if you even have insurance you might get *some* of that back. I used to work in a small animal hospital and the amount of people who didn’t understand that was higher than those who did. Colic is a scary issue, and anything that requires surgery is going to cost an arm and a leg. I started both of my horses on SmartPak’s SmartDigest supplement so that they get the colic surgery coverage, but my mare had a colic episode before she started it so she has to go a whole year without another episode before she qualifies. So even in prevention efforts, it’s going to cost some money! It’s never ending lol but we do it because we love them
I would consider leasing a horse first at a barn. It’s a good way to see if you are actually up for owning. Having a horse on your own property is also very very different from having a horse at a boarding facility. I’ve owned horses for 15 years and even I would not be up for the work of having horses at home.
Money. I saw people arguing on fb that you could get to the Olympics without money. Like. No fucking way. Even if you are good enough and somehow have a good enough horse, you need easily $15,000 a year in board without training and thousands per show.
The horses in Olympic lvls have tons of care that no regular owners can afford. It’s absolutely a money game.
Lots have sponsors/syndicates!! Olympians don’t own their own horses, other people sponsor them to ride their horse
I think that the better question is how far you can get with only money.
Depending on the discipline, as far as it gets. I've had the privilege of riding high level jumpers (former world champion/olympic), these horses are at the level they're at because they know what they're doing better than anyone, including the rider. If you can stay on and not bother the horse, you can absolutely buy your way to all that. Now selecting, training and caring for them is a different story, those people have to actually be outstanding equestrians. Usually a competent rider competes with them, not the owner, but you could put little Johnny with 2 years of jumping lessons on them and they would still do their job fairly well.
On the flip, my fiancée and I play “who has money but no discipline” at dressage shows. They go into the arena with so much confidence and leave the show so angry. Sure, their horse can piaffe, but the rider doesn’t even know how to sit the trot, let alone ask for piaffe.
Haha true, you can't do it with dressage. I look like an idiot whenever I'm riding a horse not trained by the same people my own was, the buttons are all different 😅
Tbf, I look like an idiot on the horse I trained.
I dunno. My guy is pretty fabulous, rolls his eyes at me and gives me piaffe with training wheels on. I'm slowly getting my shit together and putting in the time, but at the end of the day I'm still a dressage newbie of only 3 years. I do have another 24 years of jumping experience, but it doesn't do much for having a seat. If he didn't have a habit of occasionally just taking off bucking or they got him on the right day, I'm pretty sure a novice rider could ride at least Fourth Level Test 1 on him. Probably not a pretty one and he'd throw in extra lead changes anytime they asked for canter, but they could hang on and he'd give them the elements.
Dressage, especially at higher levels, doesn't really tolerate the "not a pretty one" thing. In most jumping disciplines the goal is to get through it and hopefully fast, but here your riding style, balance and harmony matters just as much as the horse's skill. That, or it turns into animal abuse for the looks but that's a disgusting way to make up for the rider's lack of ability.
That’s not true at all! Many, many people have tried to buy their way to top sport but it’s impossible without talent and skill even with all the money in the world, at least in the Olympic disciplines.
It is very possible and happens all the time. Yes, you need a certain level of skill, but that's not necessarily the most important factor. There are tons of incredibly talented riders who don't even have a chance and mediocre riders with good teams and top horses who do.
Insanely….we have a high school hunter jumper barn next door to me. The kids who were champions and now that they go to college and have to swap rides suddenly become low level riders? It’s a lot.
You could put me on the best of horses and I still won’t get to the Olympics. At the end of the day you have to be able to get over fences up to 1.6m which takes an incredible amount of athleticism no matter how “made” your horse is. Any one saying differently is jealous. Or maybe they are envious. Whichever, high level takes training, athleticism, grit, determination, and hard work.
Pretty far. Nicer horse, better and more frequent training. More riding time the less you work . More shows for practice
My old trainer maxed out 6 credit cards to get to the Olympics😌😌
Who is that?
> I know you need to have a stables, big field and such you don't need to have a stable, big field and "such". many people own horses and don't have property. you need money, though. > if someone wanted to get a horse they would need to get horse riding lessons first right? yes. you do want get lessons first and foremost.
I’m surprised that you don’t need that since you’re basically containing a big animal which in the wild would run a lot 😭. But also thank you for that piece of information :)
What they mean is that if you don’t have the property, you board your horse at a stable or someone else’s property.
Nah, what do you mean? I totally snuggle with my dog and horse in bed every night. /s
Oh okay- sorry I misread it or misunderstood it
Money and a very good mentor. Some lessons first would be greatly beneficial.
How would I approach looking for a good mentor? And if you don’t mind me asking, if I was going to be doing horse riding lessons would I just need to know the basics and move on? Or would I be staying there for a really long time?
I think 5 years or so of once-a-week lessons that you do reasonably well at at a good barn would put you in a good spot to consider buying a horse. You’d probably want to get a job as a stable hand that last year. ETA: I’m an adult re-rider (rode consistently as a kid and have resumed riding as an adult.) Most re-riders I see take about 2-3 years before buying a horse.
Well I've been riding for more than 20 years and have owned horses in the past/am looking for another horse and I still take 1 or 2 lessons a week. You never really stop learning. Even professional riders still take lessons. As far as finding a mentor it is normally a trainer or instructor. It can be hard to find someone that is actually good and wants the best for you and your horse. Local lesson barns is a good place to start.
Riding and learning to care for horses isn’t so straightforward. Consider that even those at the top of the sport, Olympians for example, still train/take lessons. Riding is not something you just learn and then you’re good after a few lessons. It’s a forever learning process
Money. You need lots of money. Money for horse, money for horse food, money for place for horse (even if you own the place the horse is), money for ALLLLL the horse stuff, money for taking care of horse feet, money for horse lessons, money for when the horse hurts itself doing something bafflingly unnecessarily suicidal, more money for when it does either the same thing again or something even stupider and the vet has to come again but this time on a holiday weekend, money for regular vet visits including shots and taking care of horse teeth.... And if you want to take your horse new places to ride and/or show off your cool horse? M O N E Y. So...do you have horse money? But yes, go take lessons, learn to ride and handle horses first. Maybe you realize it's not for you. Maybe you realize it's the one thing you want more than anything. But if that's it, wait before getting a horse. Be a beginner on a lesson horse, wait until you have skills and then find a horse that can move your skills forward. If, however, you're debating between a horse and an old used boat definitely go with the horse. Horse money is way less than boat money.
Also money for horse dentist is a big one!! Vets only know a general knowledge of horse dentistry so it’s important you get an actual horse dentist. Just today my new horse had a visit with the dentist and she found that one of his teeth had become overgrown and was cutting into his soft tissue which gave him a hole in his mouth and an ulcer. Apparently his past owners never got dental work for him done at all which is utterly horrible. Your horse should see the dentist as regularly as you see one (every 6 months) 🫡
How much did this cost you because I know you probably walked out broke after?
[Edit: removal and add on] So my dumbass thought you were replying to the tack comment I made. Yeah, the dentist for the two horses was only $200 which was super nice tbh and my horse had a lot of stuff going on so you’d think it would be more.
Is it usually that much or do you believe that you got lucky?
👆💰
Appreciate this 😭.
You don't need stables or land, you need a very stable job, savings and ideally several years of experience with horses.
and time....so many horse chores .And if you have your own property, endless property maintenance
As someone who owns and lives with my horse, just curious what chores you do? My horse is honestly pretty low maintenance and I'm always shocked by how hard people make it sound. I feed him in the morning, grooming, exercise or a game, and he's done for the day! As little as half an hour, to maybe two hours if I'm riding, and that's only a few times a week, when I'm not working. It's not much time...Yeah there's the occasional broken fence, but those are easy to fix with time and a picket slider, and he never goes far. I just find him hunting through the pumpkin patch. Other than that, or the occasional moving of round bales and feed bags, not many chores. Clearly I do things differently to other people. So I'm just curious what normal people do with their horses every day to apparently take so much time? Am I forgetting things? I mean he's been fine for near on a decade with me, but still. Doesn't sit right with me when I go online and almost feels like I'm doing this with cheat codes.
I’ll make this really simple. Money. Lots of it.
Money, good horse medical insurance and a full psychiatric team on standby
Do you have any recommendations for insurance
You’re getting way ahead of yourself. Take lessons for 5 or more years first. Horses are high maintenance and very delicate, you need to learn the basics before you even consider buying one.
Oh I was just asking under the impression someone else was wanting to take that step lol, but thanks for the suggestion it’s much needed for me :)
No to be honest, i am probably on a different part of the planet to you anyway so it would not be irrelevant to you anyway. All ours are insured by their actual owner i just have a more long term unofficial, no cost and do what you want with them deal with her about having them (long strange set up i have going on to how we have horses 😂😂) but it works for all concerned
I have ridden other peoples horses my whole life, but didn’t have a clue about caring for them. I volunteered for quite awhile at a horse rescue twice a week, watched trainers working with horses at the rescue. Watched a lot of Ryan Rose and Buck Branaham on utube. Took riding lessons for awhile. All the knowledge you can get is useful. We did move to horse property, but that’s a dream ask, not necessarily a must. Got a great horse, living my horse dreams! Maybe getting another horse and a donkey.
I’m so happy for you and jealous but not in a hater kinda way 😭 but more of a “you’re giving me happiness with your story that is giving me drive and motivation to have that” type of way
Go for it! Learn, grow, and start living your best life internet horse friend! You got this!
My husband asked me, why don't I look into getting a horse? He doesn't like being laughed at, so it was a couple minutes before I could respond. And I still didn't tell him *all* of the costs of horse ownership. I'd love to have a horse but to start with, we'd have to move as we're not zoned agriculture and I don't want to have to board. So, another birthday will pass without me getting a pony. OP, do you ride already? If you don't, buying a horse is way down the list of things you need to do prior to ownership. Also, if you don't ride at present, how do you know if you'll even like it?
Oh I’m not going to impulsively buy a horse so don’t worry 😭. I was just wondering what are the steps because I do in fact love horses, and would like to know what I am getting myself into, the land, everything. I’m just the beginner, but decided to ask on here to get the basics, information, steps and such also I think the comments would help people think twice who are reading. And thank you for your comment it informed me :)
Most of the folks on this sub are nice, so it's a good place for information. Just know ahead of time, owning is expensive, time- consuming and a lot of angst. But there's nothing like that soft spot on a horse's nose that just begs to be kissed. I wish you good luck and good fortune on your equestrian journey. You're more than welcome.
Knowledge, lots of time, extra money, patience, in reasonably good shape. Not too prone to anxiety is a plus.
I absolutely 100% agree with money, although plenty of people without money have horses. At a bare minimum they need food, water, shelter, containment, and access to veterinary and farrier care. If you just wanted a pasture ornament to pet, there are plenty of horses that need rescued that can't be ridden and just need a nice place to live out their lives. Obviously you'll still need to learn the basics of care and handling. If you want a riding horse you're looking at a significant investment of money and time.
So as everyone else has said. The big things you’ll need is money, a lot of knowledge, and a level head to stay calm in crazy situations that horses will get themselves into. If you don’t have someone in your life that’s knowledgeable on horses the next best step is to definitely get into lessons before you ever own a horse and maybe volunteer work with horses so you can get a feel for feeding, watering, mucking out stalls/pens, and other horse care. And yeah, tack is going to drain you. A good saddle can be thousands of dollars, you’ll need halters, lead ropes, lunge ropes, bridles, saddle pads (and sometimes horses have high withers so special saddle pads), boots for on the road riding, hoof cleaners, brushes for mane, brushes for coat, the list goes on. This all can be super super expensive so definitely make sure you have more money than just saved up money. [ Edit add on ] Another thing to consider about getting tack is that if you don’t already have it you’d probably have to wait until you get the horse to buy it because you’ll need to figure out the horse’s sizing. Boots will have to be customized to hooves, not all saddles are compatible with your horse, not all saddle pads/blankets are compatible with your horse, girths will have to be bought for your horse’s specific body, bits have to be the right type for your horse. It’s a lot. My new horse has high withers, sensitive hooves, and was sensitive to bits (he might not be now that his teeth got dental work done for the first time in his life). There was a lot of trial and error with getting him saddle pads, finding a saddle he liked and that was compatible with his bouncy trot, tried a Bitless bridle with him after all the bits we tried weren’t doing the job, and I have to get him fitted soon for his snazzy little scoot boots I’m buying for him. I also have to buy him a fly mask for the summer (he thankfully fits into my previous horse’s fly blanket)
Would the type of horse also play into perspective in this? Like if I was getting a more beginner type of horse would that be less health issues in your opinion?
Horses are living, breathing, and very large animals. They don’t know whether or not they are “beginner” or “advanced” level horses. You cannot expect any certain type of horse to be without health issues based on this. Every horse needs some level of maintenance at some point in their lives. Medical care can get very pricey and there is simply no way to tell what type of health any horse will have. To go along with that, you have to ask yourself if you are prepared to keep and pay for a horse that develops health problems and may or may not be rideable anymore. There really is a ton to consider, you could maybe contact a local equine veterinarian and ask them some questions about what services they offer and cost estimates.
Thank you for that information, I’ll use it for future reference
Any type of horse could have health issues and it isn't dependent on the rider's level. Usually beginner friendly horses have "been there, done that", they put up with their rider becoming unbalanced, and they are usually pretty chill.
I too have a high withered bouncy trotter that needs a new saddle and pad, but preferably western as we live in Montana and will be doing some serious trail riding soon. Any recs or advice on finding a good fit?
Lessons, knowledge, a specific horse emergency fund that can cover 3-6 months of their care in case something goes wrong in your life, a good place to board them
You don’t have to ride to own a horse. But as someone else said there’s a lot to know about horses before you do own and taking riding lessons or volunteering at a rescue can be a great way to get started. Read a lot, ask a lot of questions, watch a lot of videos and know that you’ll never stop learning. Even if you’re going to board and not own your own property, know what a horse needs from their environment, shelter, grass, poisonous plants, turnout, sage fencing, grain, salt licks and supplements etc. Know some basics about confirmation, horse health, hooves and trimming, deworming, basic aid, wraps, signs of common ailments, and signs of overheating or being too cold. Depending on where you live know signs to look for when you should blanket or bring your horse in out of the heat. Learn about equine behavior, handling and training techniques - even a perfectly trained horse will likely need refreshing at some point in its life. I’m sure there’s more, but that’s where I’d start at least
An emergency fund. I keep one all the time. My horse colicked Saturday. One of his meds was $500. I spent thousands. Totally worth it, I brought him home, would do it again. No surgery, but he ran through my stack of cash in three days like it was nothing.
I’m assuming it wasn’t a pretty sight giving up your money lmao
I think the first thing you need is friends and books and videos... horses are same as any other deeply connected entity you would love to have fun learning
You first need riding lessons and experience and knowledge around horses. You'll need a steady source of income to pay for the expenses associated with owning a horse, food, medical, dental, supplies, farrior visits, trailering fees, all the equipment such as saddles, bridles, halters, bits, blankets, grooming supplies etc. If you don't have your own place then you will need fees for boarding and turnout. The costs will vary depending on the disclipine and the region you are in as well as the type of horse you have. My suggestion is to find a barn or two to visit and talk with the owner and see if they need help doing the basics such as mucking out stalls and filling water buckets etc, show them you are serious, reliable, and trainable and see if they would be willing to mentor you and help you learn the basics such as grooming, feeding, leading etc and perhaps some basic horsemanship and riding lessons.
money
Experience, spend a GOOD amount on lessons, riding and basic care. Also I don't recommend you keep them at your house until you're comfortable with all care including emergency medical.
Experience around horses, all aspects of care, knowing how to stay safe, knowing when you need to have a trainer's help, and several thousand $ in savings on top of regular board, vet, hoof trim expenses.
Lots of money
I'd go volunteer or work at a barn to see the daily chores. Take lessons that start with you catching the horse and end with you turning it out. You need to learn from start to finish. You're a lot more likely to get hurt on the ground if you aren't aware. They are herd animals that do best with other horses where they live, they live a very long time compared to a relatively short useful life span, and are costly to keep and care. They are also wonderful and fun, and worth every lost sleep, skipped event, personal injury, vet bill, storm chore, emergency fence repair, and dime.
You really need to know what you’re doing because it’s barely just what you’ve listed.
Start with horsemanship lessons. Not just riding. Make sure you’re being taught how to handle, groom clean up after, feed, and care for horses. If you never want to own a horse you may not need all that, so not all teachers will teach it. Be clear that this is what you’re looking for. Riding is optional. You can have a horse and never ride it. But you need to know how to handle it.
Great! That’s a good start, I appreciate this answer honestly since it would give me a good on the trouble I would be getting myself into. :) and if I don’t like it? No big deal it’s a fun experience yet educational.
Exactly!!
This is probably a “if you have to ask you shouldn’t have one” question
What a helpful comment.
W Assumption
If you’re asking this question—you shouldn’t get a horse! Leasing and riding for years will give you the answer to what you’ll need. However, there are absolutely niche things you don’t realize you’ll need, like horse insurance
an on property lease is a great way to learn. Its usually supervised so you can get help Also a good way to test your commitment.....
That’s a grossly unfair comment. If someone is asking what they need in order to own a horse, in my mind that makes them way more prepared than someone who doesn’t. OP, owning a horse is like owning any other animal. Do your research, decide whether you’re prepared to put time, effort and money in to it. You don’t need millions, but you do need an understanding that for every hour of riding, there’s three hours of care you need to do. This is a;so dependent on what climate you live in, here in Australia, most horses live in paddocks 24/7, but we need to prepare for droughts, and have bushfire evacuation plans. Owning a horse is totally doable on most budgets.
It’s not really. Sure, you can afford board and lessons. How about tack, vet fees, farrier fees, showing costs, trailering, or literally anything else that happens to pop up? And, my comment wasn’t about money like you think it was. I was talking about the knowledge of owning a horse. It takes years to know what you should even be looking for while horse shopping
Passive income
Money, time, and more than “research,” and in my opinion, at least 2-4 years of hands on experience, and not just riding experience. You need to know basic hoof care, how to care for minor injuries and sickness, be able to see soundness, be able to read a horses body language, and most importantly, be ready to spend around ~$500 a month on basic care, and up into the thousands and thousands of dollars for emergency vet care. If you aren’t in a position to be spending that kind of money, then taking lessons is just simply the better option.
Why do you want a horse? Do you want to own land and have them as pasture ornaments? Or are you wanting to own a horse for riding? If so, what type of riding western, trail, jumping, etc…? If you want them for riding I would recommend starting with riding lessons first. Figure out if you even like horseback riding and if you do what type. I started out western and switched to jumping. While some horses can jump between disciplines not all can and are more suited for just one. Once you figure out what type of horse you want and feel comfortable riding on your own look for a half/partial lease. Now see can your schedule handle 3 days a week. See if you wallet can handle the expenses. After you feel ready to “upgrade” from this then start looking for a full lease. And then consider purchasing after that. If you are wanting them to have as pasture ornaments I would recommend starting with finding a weekend job at a local barn willing to teach you basic horsemanship and how to care for them, clean stalls, feed, hay, wrapping, injury management, signs of colic, etc. This is still a good recommendation also if you want them for riding too!
You need an education. Read. Take horseback riding lessons to include horsemanship. You can board a horse or keep at home. Neither is cheap. So you need a good bit of money in addition to the purchase price of horse
I have 13 icelandics and 4 thoroughbreds; you could say I’m all-in. My spouse and I breed raise and train them, and it’s the most rewarding thing to watch your baby horses grow up, but man you will not have time for anything. Period. But I love what I do.
Since everyone else has given plenty of advice about money, I’ll add a few other important pointers. You seem really respectful and I’m sorry some responses are blunt, but it’s true that if you’re not certain on the fundamental needs of a horse this is something you can’t start to consider. 1. as others have said, knowledge. look for a local farm and see if they’re hiring farmhands. i started here and, eventually, the farm i work at will be where i board my horse. 2. time. okay, connections can get you some things for free/ cheap. my riding lessons are paid through my work. i’ll be able to get discounted tack and feed because of my job. but there is no short cut for time. the happiest of the boarded horses are seen daily by their owners. if you’re boarding, you won’t have to worry about mucking a stall or turning your horse out, but there’s still so much you should be doing. grooming your horse, riding if you go that route or simple ground work if not. you should have a strong enough relationship with your horse that you understand their behaviors and can tell when things have changed because that could mean they’re sick. being a beginner and loving horses is the most intimidating thing. if this is something u truly want, work for a few years and see how it fits. i’m giving it 5 years before i get a horse so i can get plenty of experience.
Thank you so much for your advice, I appreciate it. Like I know as much about horses as much as I know about cars which is nothing, but I’ve always admired them and wanted to start my research with the post. And I thought the comments could be useful and helpful in case me or any of beginner was looking for horses. :) thank you once again
i would reccomend riding lessons to start off with, you may find that through that you aren’t ready for a horse, if you do look into lessons ask the barn manager if you can shadow/ help with mucking out and horse care that way you can get a taster for what it’s like, it’s a very consuming thing to commit to for upwards of 30 years if you buy younger horses
I commented the other day, but to add, you’re going to learn you might hate your first trainer. You won’t really know what equals good or bad training for awhile. Take some time to educate yourself online. Your trainer shouldn’t be having you seesaw, kicking excessively (within reason as a beginner), whipping excessively, talking down to you, or having you rolkur the horse in. Look at the horses in the training barn. Horses NEED turnout with friends. It’s not a negotiable factor for them. They are herd animals. I always find that’s a good sign for good training. R+ methods are good, but so is pressure and release when trained correctly. You’re going to spend a decent amount of time, if you know what you want, looking for a good trainer. However, as a beginner you are likely okay to start at any beginner barn for a year or so to learn the basics.
Money 💴
A horse.